Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Able Seaman H. Humberston, Mercantile Marine, who was awarded the Norwegian Medal for Heroic Deeds for his gallantry in rescuing the crew of the shipwrecked barque Sara on 19 November 1916

British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals (Henry Humberston); Defence Medal; Marine Society Reward of Merit, silver (Henry Humberstone [sic] 6. Jan. 1920’, with ring suspension and ‘Warspite’ life ring riband device; Norway, Kingdom, Medal for Heroic Deeds, Haakon VII, silver medal with crown, 29mm, the reverse inscribed ‘H. Humberson [sic] 19-11-1916’, edge bruising to last, very fine (5) £300-£400

Henry Humberston was born in Croydon, Surrey, on 27 September 1894, and joined the Mercantile Marine as a Deck Boy in 1910. By 1916 he was an Able Seaman in the S.S. Rathlin Head, of Belfast, which spent most of the War sailing between Belfast and New Orleans. He was awarded the Norwegian Medal for Heroic Deeds in silver for his gallantry in rescuing the crew of the shipwrecked barque Sara of Fredrikstad on 19 November 1916- the Master of the S.S. Rathlin Head’s report reading as follows:

‘I sighted the Norwegian barque Sara on the 19 November at 4:00 p.m., with main and mizen masts gone, bulwarks and decks and boats swept, in Lat 47N, Long 26.30W. A heavy seas and swell with a moderating NW gale at this time. On getting about half a mile off and not seeing any signs of crew I sounded my whistle and ran up the signal “Do you require any assistance?” He had up signal, “Will you take me in tow?”
Owing to weather conditions and the bad weather appearances, combined with the wrecked condition and small value of ship and cargo, and my being so far behind my loading time here, I refused to tow, but replied I would take off crew. he then requested me to do so.
This was done with great difficulty, as it came on dark, and both vessels rolling heavily in the sea. We were unable to get our lifeboat in, breaking the port bridge derrick and it going over board, striking Mr. Moore, Chief Officer, and doing him serious injury, as he was in charge of the operation on Bridge Deck. One of the crew of the barque was badly injured on his own vessel, and the Captain had his hand also injured; one other of these men was sick, and getting them into and safely out of the the boat was very difficult. There are 16 in all.’

Sold with the original Bestowal Document for the Norwegian award, named to ‘Henry Humberson’, and dated Kristiania, 28 December 1917; the recipient’s Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge; and copied research.